History and Overview of York, England

General Overview

• York is a cathedral city with Roman origins located in North Yorkshire, England, at the meeting point of the Rivers Ouse and Foss
• It has a wealth of historic structures, including a minster, castle, and city walls
• York is the administrative center of the City of York district and the largest settlement
• The city is located 27 miles (43 km) northeast of Leeds, 90 miles (140 km) south of Newcastle upon Tyne, and 207 miles (333 km) north of London
• In 2021, the built-up area of York had a population of 141,685
• York was founded in 71 AD under the name Eboracum

Historical Significance

• Eboracum became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior
• The city later became the capital of the kingdoms of Deira, Northumbria, and Scandinavian York
• York grew as a wool-trading center during the Middle Ages and later became the northern England ecclesiastical province's center
• In the 19th century, it became a major railway network hub and confectionery manufacturing center
• Part of the city was bombed during the Baedeker Blitz in World War II, necessitating restoration work until the 1960s

Local Governance

• York was historically governed as a county corporate, separate from the county's riding system
• It has been locally governed as a municipal borough, county borough, and since 1996 as a non-metropolitan district, which includes surrounding villages and the town of Haxby
• The City of York Council is responsible for providing local services and facilities throughout the district

Toponymy (Origin of the Name)

• The name "York" comes from the Brittonic name Eburākon, which means "place of yew trees"
• The Romans Latinized the name to Eboracum or Eburacum
• The Scottish Gaelic name is Eabhraig, and the Irish name is Eabhrac, both derived from the Latin name
• In the 7th century, the Anglian name became Eoforwic, combining Eofor- from the old name, and -wic, meaning "village"
• The Old Norse name after the Danish army's conquest in 866 was Jórvík
• Following the Norman Conquest, the Old French and Norman name was recorded as Everwic
• Jórvík gradually evolved to York in the centuries after the Conquest
• The form York was first recorded in the 13th century

Early History

• Archaeological evidence suggests Mesolithic people settled in the York region between 8000 and 7000 BC
• The area was occupied by the Brigantes tribe at the time of the Roman conquest
• In 71 AD, the Roman Ninth Legion conquered the Brigantes and built a wooden military fortress
• The fortress covered an area of 50 acres (20 ha) and housed 6,000 legionary soldiers
• The principia (HQ) of the fortress is located under York Minster

Roman Era

• Hadrian, Septimius Severus, and Constantius I held court in York during their campaigns
• Emperor Severus proclaimed York the capital of Britannia Inferior between 207 and 211 AD
• Constantius I died in York in 306 AD, and his son Constantine the Great was proclaimed Emperor there
• In 314 AD, a bishop from York attended the Council at Arles

Anglo-Saxon Era

• By 400 AD, York was subject to flooding, leading to a population decline
• In the 5th century, the Angles took and settled York
• Reclamation began in the 7th century under King Edwin of Northumbria, who made York his chief city
• The first wooden minster church was built in 627 for Edwin's baptism
• York's cathedral school was home to Alcuin of York in the following century

Viking Era

• In 866, Vikings raided and captured York, renaming it Jorvik
• Jorvik became the capital of Viking territory in Britain, with over 10,000 inhabitants
• Norse coinage was created at the Jorvik mint
• Various craft workshops existed in the Coppergate area, including textile production, metalwork, carving, glasswork, and jewelry-making
• The city became a major river port in an international trading network
• Eric Bloodaxe, the last ruler of an independent Jórvík, was driven from the city in 954 AD by King Eadred

Post-Conquest Era

• In 1068, the people of York rebelled against the Norman conquest, but William the Conqueror suppressed the rebellion
• William built two wooden fortresses, which were destroyed in 1069 and rebuilt in stone
• Around 1080, Archbishop Thomas began building the cathedral that became the current Minster
• In 1190, York Castle was the site of a massacre of its Jewish inhabitants
• King John granted the city's first charter in 1212, confirming trading rights in England and Europe
• York became a major cloth manufacturing and trading center
• The city was the location of unrest during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381
• Richard II granted the city increased autonomy in 1396

16th to 18th Centuries

• York declined economically during the Tudor period
• The Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII led to the end of York's monastic houses
• Henry VIII established the Council of the North in York at the dissolved St Mary's Abbey
• In 1541, Henry VIII and Catherine Howard visited York on their royal tour
• Anne of Denmark visited York with her children in 1603
• Guy Fawkes was a member of the Gunpowder Plot
• In 1644, Parliamentarians besieged York during the Civil War
• Prince Rupert's arrival lifted the siege, but the Parliamentarians defeated his army at the Battle of Marston Moor
• The city surrendered to Sir Thomas Fairfax on 15 July
• Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, York was dominated by the gentry and merchants
• Competition from Leeds and Hull led to York losing its trading center position
• Many elegant townhouses, like the Lord Mayor's Mansion House and Fairfax House, date from this period

Modern History

• George Hudson brought the railway to York in 1839, establishing York as a major railway center
• The railway facilitated the expansion of Rowntree's Cocoa Works
• York was a center of early photography in the 19th century
• In 1942, the city was bombed during the Baedeker Blitz in World War II
• The historic core of York was designated a conservation area in 1968
• The National Railway Museum opened in 1975, the Jorvik Viking Centre in 1984, and the York Dungeon in 1986
• The University of York opened in 1963, adding to the city's prosperity
• York was voted European Tourism City of the Year in 2007
• In 2018, The Sunday Times named York the 'Best Place to Live' in Britain

Local Governance

• The City of York Council governs the City of York as a unitary authority
• The council consists of 47 councillors representing 21 wards
• The council headquarters are at the Guildhall and West Offices
• The Council Leader leads the cabinet, making decisions on their portfolio areas
• Councillor Keith Aspden was appointed Council Leader on 22 May 2019
• The Lord Mayor is the chairman of the City of York Council, appointed annually in May
• Councillor David Carr has been the incumbent Lord Mayor since 26 May 2022
• The council is divided into 21 administrative wards, each represented by councillors

Parliamentary Representation

• From 1997 to 2010, the central part of the district was covered by the City of York constituency, with the remainder split between Ryedale, Selby, and Vale of York
• Following a review in 2003, two new seats were created for the City of York in 2010: York Central and York Outer

Ceremonial County

• York is within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire
• Until 1974, it was within the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of the County of York, West Riding, and the County of The City of York
• The city retains the right to appoint its own Sheriff

Geography and Location

• York is situated in the Vale of York, a flat area of fertile arable land
• The city was built at the convergence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss
• The land around the rivers was marshy in Roman times, making it easy to defend
• York is prone to flooding from the River Ouse, with extensive flood defences in place

Climate

• York has a temperate climate (Cfb) with four distinct seasons
• The city's climate is drier and warmer than the rest of the Yorkshire and the Humber region
• It is prone to frosts, fog, and cold winds during winter, spring, and early summer
• The weather is changeable, with most sunshine from May to July

Green Belt

• York's urban areas are surrounded by a green belt, which restricts development in rural areas

Demography

• In 2011, the York urban area had a population of 153,717
• The population of the City of York (Local Authority) was 198,051
• The ethnic composition was 94.3% White, 1.2% Mixed, 3.4% Asian, and 0.6% Black
• The elderly population (65 and over) was 16.9%

Religion

• Christianity has the largest religious following in York
• There are 33 active Anglican churches in York
• York is the administrative center of the northern province and home to the Archbishop of York
• The city has eight Catholic churches and other Christian denominations
• Percentages of York following non-Christian religions were below England's national average in the 2011 census
• York's only Mosque is located in the Layerthorpe area, and the city also has a UK Islamic Mission center

Economy

• York's economy is based on the service industry, responsible for 88.7% of employment in 2000
• In 2019, tourism was worth over £765 million to the city, supporting 24,000 jobs and attracting 8.4 million visitors each year
• The Employment Rate in 2018 was 78.8%
• Unemployment in York was low at 4.2% in 2008

Major Employers

• The biggest employer in York is the City of York Council
• Other major employers include Aviva, Network Rail, Northern Trains, York Hospitals NHS Trust, and the University of York
• York is the headquarters of Nestlé York (formerly Nestlé Rowntrees)

Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic

• The COVID-19 pandemic caused an economic slowdown in York
• Unemployment rose significantly due to restrictions on businesses and travel
• The retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors were particularly affected
• The campaign "Make It York" and the city council launched a tourism marketing plan to revitalize the city

Public Services

• Policing in York is provided by the North Yorkshire Police
• Emergency fire and rescue service is provided by the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
• The city's primary medical facility is York Hospital
• Waste management is coordinated via the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership
• Yorkshire Water manages York's drinking and waste water
• The city has a magistrates' court, Crown Court, and County Court

Transport: Water

• York's location on the River Ouse has made it a significant transport hub
• The Ouse and Foss rivers are navigable
• The Ouse was used by barges for freight until the end of the 20th century
• Today, navigation is mainly leisure-oriented

Transport: Roads

• York is well served by long-distance trunk roads
• The city lies at the intersection of the A19, A59, A64, and A1079 roads
• The A64 road provides the principal link to the motorway network
• The historic core of the city has a street plan dating from medieval times, not suitable for modern traffic
• Six bus-based park and ride sites operate in York

Transport: Buses

• Public transport within the city is largely bus-based
• First York operates most of the city's local bus services and the park and ride services

Transport: Railway

• The city has been a major railway center since 1839
• York railway station is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line
• It is served by five train operating companies

Transport: Air

• The closest international airports are Leeds Bradford, Teesside, and Humberside
• Manchester Airport has direct rail links and is accessible by the A64 to the M60 via the A1(M), M1, and M62
• York has an airfield at the former RAF Elvington

Education: Institutions

• York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum, Jorvik Viking Centre, and York Art Gallery are among the city's various museums and historic buildings
• The National Railway Museum is home to a vast range of transport material and railway locomotives
• The York Cold War Bunker is a former headquarters of No 20 Group of the Royal Observer Corps

Education: Higher and Further

• The University of York's main campus is at Heslington
• York St John University attained full university status in 2006
• The city has two major further education institutions: York College and Askham Bryan College

Education: Secondary and Primary

• There are 70 local council schools with over 24,000 pupils in the City of York Council area
• Education is provided by 10 secondary schools and several primary schools

Culture: Theatre

• The Theatre Royal produces an annual pantomime
• The city is home to the Riding Lights Theatre Company
• The York Mystery Plays are performed in public at intervals, based on the original medieval plays

Culture: Music

• The Academy of St Olave's performs concerts in St Olave's Church
• St Margaret's, Walmgate, is the National Centre for Early Music

Culture: Food and Drink

• Each September, York holds an annual Festival of Food and Drink
• The Assize of Ale is an annual event where people in medieval costume take part in a pub crawl
• York ham is a mild-flavoured ham with delicate pink coloring

Attractions: Architecture

• York Minster is a large Gothic cathedral that dominates the city
• York's center is enclosed by the city's medieval walls
• The Shambles is a narrow medieval street lined with shops, boutiques, and tea rooms

Attractions: Pubs

• There are numerous pubs in York's city center
• The Golden Fleece, Ye Olde Starre Inne, and The Kings Arms are among the most famous

Attractions: Tea Rooms

• Bettys Café Tea Rooms has a York branch in St Helen's Square

Media

• The York area is served by a local newspaper, The Press, and local radio stations (BBC Radio York, YorkMix Radio, YO1 Radio, and Jorvik Radio)
• Local news and television programs are provided by BBC Yorkshire, BBC North East and Cumbria, ITV Yorkshire, and ITV Tyne Tees
• The University of York has its own television station (YSTV) and radio station (URY)

Sport: Football

• York City are competing in the National League as of the 2023–24 season
• Their matches are played at the York Community Stadium as of 2021

Sport: Rugby

• York has a strong rugby league history
• York RLFC (York Knights and York Valkyrie) play in The Championship and the Super League, respectively

Sport: Other

• York Racecourse was established in 1731
• On 6 July 2014, York hosted the start of Stage 2 of the 2014 Tour de France
• York hosts the UK Snooker Championship

Garrison

• York Garrison is a garrison of the British army, administering units based in and around the city of York

International Relations

• York is twinned with Dijon (France), Münster (Germany), and Nanjing (China)
• In 2017, York became the UK's first human rights city

Freedom of the City

• Various individuals and military units have received the Freedom of the City of York